The West Virginia Department of Health (DH) announced in a Thursday press release that West Virginia residents may have been exposed to the measles through an individual with the illness who was traveling internationally at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
According to the DH, the potential exposure site was at IAD in Terminal A, on transportation to the main terminal and in the baggage claim area between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5.
Measles is a highly contagious illness that is easily spread through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.
Since Thursday’s announcement, the Public Health Officer of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, Steven Eshenaur, says his office has received many calls from people wondering if they should receive a booster shot to protect against possible exposure to measles.
“As a general rule, those who received two shots after 1970 likely do not need a booster or tighter test,” Eshenaur said. “For those born between 1957 and 1970, the immunization wasn’t quite as good as the one that was developed and released in 1970. Those may definitely consider getting a tire test to make sure that they do have immunity. And then those individuals born before 1957 typically were exposed to measles and have lifetime immunity, so they typically do not need a titer or a booster.”
A titer test is a blood test that measures the amount of antibodies in an individual’s blood, indicating past infections or vaccine effectiveness.
Eshenaur said that anyone born before 1957 was typically exposed to measles and have lifetime immunity, so they typically do not need a titer or a booster.
“If you are uncertain, the easy way to know is you get a titer test, or you can just choose to get a booster,” Eshenaur said.
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are two vaccines that protect against measles, mumps and rubella.
There is the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine and children may get the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccine instead, which protects against chickenpox, too.
Both MMR and MMRV are considered interchangeable, though the MMRV vaccine is only licensed for use in children from age one to 12 years old.
“If you are current on your MMR, you also help prevent bringing the viruses into your community, home and workplace if you travel. Also, many countries won’t let you in without it,” Eshenaur said.
In the press release, Eshenaur said he is concerned that disinformation about treatment for the disease will put the public at risk and urged individuals to check their vaccination status rather than turn to alternative methods.
“Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to man,” Eshenaur said. “It’s not a rite of passage. It’s not a simple rash. It can be devastating and deadly. It’s not curable with home remedies and a good diet. Those claims have no scientific basis. Immunization is the only known prevention that is effective in protecting people from the disease.”
In recent weeks, cases of measles have been confirmed in West Virginia’s border states of Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
“Frankly, that’s just a little too close for comfort,” Eshenaur said. “Measles is knocking on our door, and we need to take precautions. The only effective protection is to make sure your immune system has a fighting chance against measles: get vaccinated.”
Eshenaur noted that Dulles has no direct flights to West Virginia but says health officials are staying vigilant.
“There are a number of individuals, particularly in the Eastern Panhandle, who travel in and out of that airport,” Eshenaur said. “Should someone that did travel through that airport at that time be aware that they may have been exposed, one, and two, should they become symptomatic, to seek testing and treatment as soon as possible.”
